HB 2245 Summary

• Allows courts to depart from mandatory prison sentences if the court finds that imposing the mandatory sentence would result in injustice to the defendant and is not necessary for public protection.

• Prohibits judicial discretion departures for offenses involving death or serious physical injury, sex offenses against minors (with limited exception for consensual activity between high school students), and offenses involving criminal enterprise leadership or organization.

• Requires courts to state on the record the reasons for departing from mandatory prison sentences in each case.

• Requires the administrative office of the courts to submit annual reports to the Arizona criminal justice commission listing cases where mandatory sentences were departed from.

• Directs the Arizona criminal justice commission to annually calculate cost savings from mandatory sentence departures and notify the state treasurer of the amount.